Process for making mop swats



y 1- G. A. ALTENBERN ETAL 2,242,444

PROCESS FOR MAKING MOP SWATS Filed Aug. 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 kfiiw $6?? a 55 $566250 5. 52 01 6 y 20, 1941- V G. A. ALTENBEVRN ETA|' 2,242,444

PROCESS FOR MAKING MOP SWATS Filed Aug. 15, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 94 G. A. ALTENBERN E 2,242,444

PROCESS FOR MAKING MOP SWATS Filed Aug. 15, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIIIIIII m 122 c/ *2 6205a a g iz fi i' flawed 5 52 0726 Patented May 20, 1941 PRQCESS FOR MAKING MOP SWATS Gustav A. Altenbern, Bremen Township, Cook County, and Wilfred 8. Stone, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The A. S.

Boyle Company Application August 15, 1938, Serial No. 224,962

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for making mops which utilizes a novel winding frame stitching step and cutting step. More particularly it has to do with a frame upon which the mop yarn is Wound and with methods of binding the yarn and cutting to form mop swats prior to removing the yarn from the frame.

One method of making dry or oil mop swats in use today is that of winding a predetermined amount of yarn upon a rectangular frame, of removing the frame from the winding machine, of sewing a strip of canvas across the yarn at a point midway of the frame, and of thereafter slitting the yarn at the outer edges of the frame so that the completed swat falls clear of the frame. Under this method, a girl operates three winding machines simultaneously, the rate of winding being such that while two frames are being Wound with yarn, the girl may remove the loaded frame from the third machine and replace it with an empty frame. With the yarn on the frame, the next step under present practise is to sew a strip of canvas to the yarn along the winding axis of the frame, which is done by a girl at a sewing machine. The frame is then taken to a cutter which slits the yarn at the two outside edges of the frame so that the completed swat falls clear. It should be noted that after leaving the winding machine, a girl handles each frame separately and completes her particular operation on one mop at a time.

The principal object of this invention is to provide and a process of sewing and stitching mop swats on a frame whereby two mop swats will be produced from each frame with the following distinct advantages in the process of making mops: each frame may be left in the mop winding machine for twice the length of time 'heretofore required whereby a girl may operate twice the number of machines; the girl handling the stitching operation can do the stitching operation on two mops without setting down the frame, While heretofore there was one stitching operation for each frame handled; and one slitting operation will produce two mops.

A second object of this invention is so to position a binding means, such as canvas, upon the yarn in the frame that unbalanced mop swats can be produced. If has been found that short or looped inside tufts will form a nice pad beneath the mop head while the outside long strands, which provide an attractiveness to the mop which the purchasing women demand, are retained. This invention, therefore, aims to provide a sewing and cutting operation which will enable the manufacturer to vary the length of the tufts and to provide looped tufts where desired.

The above and other desirable objects will appear hereinafter in the description of the invention with reference to the accompanying four sheets of drawings hereby made a part of this specification, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the winding machine with a frame in position;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the spindle and spindle mounting and of the stub shaft of a frame shown fragmentarily;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the channel bar taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the channel bar;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the positioning of the binding means in one embodiment of the invention; v

Fig. 7 is a view from above of the control means;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the control means;

Fig. 9 is a view of the pulley face;

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the control release block;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the positioning of the binding means in a second embodiment of the invention;

. Fig. 12 is a view of a loaded frame being fed into a slitter; and

Fig. 13 is a view of a mop made from a mop swat made under the first embodiment of the invention.

The same reference character is used to identify a part in the specification as is used to identify the same part in the drawings.

Examining our invention in detail, the frame of the machine generally referred to as [0, is comprised of side walls II and I2 held in fixed relationship by bars l3, l4, l5, [6, I1, and [8. The operable parts of the machine are driven from gear trains deriving power from a single source, and as the machine has three general operating mechanisms, the spindle turning, the yarn feeding, and the control, each mechanism will be described in order.

The drive shaft I9 is journalled in bearings 20 and 21 mounted in the end of supporting shelves 22 and 23, and in pillow block 24. Riding freely on drive shaft I 9 is pulley 25, driven continuously by belt 26, which is in engagement with a pulley gang, not shown. The inner face of pulley 25 carries lug 21 and circular spring segment 28,

fastened to the pulley 25 at 29, and held in normal relationship to lug 21 by means of helical springs and 3I. Riding drive shaft I9 and adapted for lateral motion as well as rotational motion along drive shaft I9 is clutch 32, carrying on its face lug 33 adapted to engage lug 2! of pulley 25, and carrying on its opposite side shoulders 34 and 35 in which rides shifting fork 36, Shifting fork 36 is formed of the turned end of bell crank lever 31 fulcrumed on bolt 38 mounted in block 39. Between block 39 and clutch 32 is a brake means 40, such as leather, against which clutch 32 is held tightly when the machine control is in the off or idle position. The spring for holding the clutch 32 against brake means 40 will be hereinafter described in treating the control mechanisms. etween clutch 32 and side wall I2 and cut into drive shaft I9 is worm gear 4| which engages pinion gear 42 on shaft 43 which is journalled in blocks 44 and 45 fastened to side wall I2.

To the inner end of drive shaft I9 is permanently and immovably fastened cross arm or channel bar 46. This channel bar is formed of a thick base portion 41 to which is welded flange strips 48 and 49, flange strip 48 being wider than flange strip 49 in order that the channel bar may more readily receive the frame 50 hereinafter described. Seated in the thick base portion 47 are posts 5|, 52, 53, and 54 which are equidistant from the axis of drive shaft 20 with the respective posts 55, 56, 51, and 58.

Directly opposite drive shaft I9 and in alignment therewith is spindle assembly, generally referred to as 60, which as a unit is rotatably mounted in side wall I I and in pillow block 6I. Between the side wall II and pillow block 6| on the one hand and the tip 63 of the spindle on the other, are three bearing surfaces 64, 65, and 66. Bearing surface 64 lies between the side wall I I and pillow block 6I on the one hand and sleeve 61 on the other hand. The fit is tight and the sleeve 6] does not rotate easily. Laterally slidable within sleeve 6'. is piston 68 which is forced outwardly by spring 69. The piston 68 is free to rotate with respect to sleeve 61. Mounted on the inner end of piston 88 is the spindle I0 proper, there being ball bearing unit II mounted between the reduced end I2of the piston 69 and the spindle I0. The piston 68, ball bearing unit II, and spindle Ill are held in relationship by means of a pin, not shown. Into the tip 63 is bored at its open end spindle socket I3 to receive a stub shaft I4 on the frame 50, the result being that between the side wall and the frame 50 there are four bearing surfaces 64, 65, 66, and I3.

In order that frames of varying widths may be mounted on the winding machine, the spindle assembly 60 is adjustable along its axis with respect to side wall I I. This. adjustment is accomplished by turning into. sleeve 6] annular grooves I5 and I6. Drilled through pillow blockE I is hole 'I'Iv into which is dropped pin I8 having head'IS. When spindle assembly 60 is moved so that either of the annular grooves I5 and I6 are in alignment with hole TI, pin I3 drops downward and holds: spindle assembly 60 against lateral movement. It will be noted that spindle assembly 60 is freeto rotate in thepillow block 6| after the pin 11- is in closed or locked position.

The yarn feeding mechanism derives its power from drive shaft I9 through bevel gears and 8 I, shaft 82, worm gear 8-3and pinion gear 84 and shaft, 85 journalled in flange blocks 86 and 81'. Mounted on the top of shaft 85 is disc 88 .into the upper surface of which is cut a heart-shaped cam,

not shown. Cam follower 89 journalled for reciprocation in supports 90 and SI fastened respectively to side walls II and I2 carries lug 92 for following in the channel of the cam.

Mounted on cam follower 89 are four yarn tension controls 93, 94, 95, and 96. Examining 93 for detail, the base 91 is bolted to the cam follower 89 at 98. The position of each yarn tension control may be varied by altering the bolt seats. The base 9'! is bent upwardly and twisted at right angles to receive pin 99 upon which is mounted opposing discs I00 and IOI which are gently held against each other by means of spring I02, the te'nsionof which can be controlled by advancing or withdrawing the knurled edge set nut I03 threaded on the outer end of pin 99. Pin I 04, welded to base 97, pierces discs I00 and IOI, thereby preventing rotational movement of discs I00 and IOI. An eyelet I05 is mounted on base 91 through which the yarn I06 is fed into the yarn tension controls.

The control means is mounted in the forward base of the winding machine. It might be appropriate to mention here that these machines are mounted in a battery side by side on low benches and the operator loads a machine and passes to the next. The control means must, therefore, be located at the front of the machine. A shaft IIO, square in cross-section except at the ends, is journalled in bearings I II and I I2 in side walls II and I2 respectively. Adjacent to side wall I2 and on the inside thereof is welded to rotatable square shaft IIO, lever arm II3 which by means of link I I4 is coupled to bell crank lever 31, heretofore described. Impressed on link H4 and lever arm I I3 is a jack knife clamping action by spring II5 which through shifting fork 36 holds clutch 32 tightly against brake means 40.

Slidably mounted onsquare shaft H0 is sleeve I I6 to which is rigidly fastened control arm III.

7 I25 and permanently mounted to withstand. any

rotational movement. On the. forward lower surface in an underhanging portion I26 of control arm III is pin I'ZI' directed by spring I28 against. By pressing.

the sloping surface I25 of bar I8. the control arm IIT downward, the guide means I23 engages the thread ofv worm shaft H8 and.

the pin I2I slipsunder the forward edge I29 of bar I8, thereby holding control arm I" down- The worm shaft. I'IB rotates counterclockwise,

looking from the right, and'the control arm. I'II moves to the left with the pin I21 sliding along the smooth under-surface of bar I8. The con:- trol arm III may be released manually by withdrawing the pin I2I.

For the purpose of winding a predetermined weight of yarn upon the frames, however, it is desired that the winding operation continue for a given number of turns only. This is accomplished by the action of pin I21 on cam surface I30 of block I3I The cam surface I30-is adjacent to the under forward edge I29 of bar I9. Block I3I is tightenedinto position on bar I8. by lock, bolt I32. When the pin I21 engages this cam surface I30, thex leftward movement. of the control arm II'I derived from the. worm haft I I8'through the guide means I23, forces the eting machines, where the swat is folded as may be seen in Fig. 13 and, with the loop end I54,

pm I 21 outwardly until it releasesv the control arm I I! by escaping above the forward edge I29, the control arm I I1 snaps upward thereby disengaging guide means I23 from Worm shaft H8 and releasing the lever train which terminates in the clutch 32.

In Fig. 6 is shown a U-shaped or open-end frame 56 such as is used in this winding machine. This frame, comprising spacer bar I40 and side arms I l! and I42, is formed of steel and, consistent with lightness which is desired to assist operatives who are usually women in mounting them in the machines, are strong. The stub shaft 14 terminating in positioning nib I43 for seating in the spindle socket I3, is welded to the frame centrally of the spacer bar I46. The frame is inserted in the machine by placing the open ends of side arms I4I and 142 on their inner side into engagement with complementary posts, i. e., posts equidistant from the axis of drive shaft I9, in the channel bar, for example, 54 and 56. These posts resist the contracting power of the yarn as it is wound on the frame.

The wider flange strip 48 of the channel bar 46 assists in inserting side arms MI and I42 of the frame 50 into the channel bar 46. With the side arms I4l and I42 in the channel bar 46, the operator pushes to the left the spindle I thereby contracting spring 69. The nib I43 and stub shaft I4 are then seated in spindle socket 13. When the operator releases spindle ID, the frame 50 is tightly positioned in the winding machine.

sketched only in Fig. 2 is a curved guard I45 which extends over a portion of the front of the machine and covers the swing of the channel bar 46. While this guard covers only the right hand side of the machine, it has a marked tendency to keep the operator away from the swing of the frame 50.

While the actual winding operation of the machine is obvious, one fact should be noted. After the four strands of yarn have been threaded through the eyelets and the tension discs, they are pulled down over the upper side of the frame which is moved into vertical position, that shown in Fig. 2. Looking from the right, the frame winds counterclockwise so that the upper edge of the frame moves outward, i. e., toward the operator. When the clutch is .engaged, the frame starts with a jerk into full speed and this jerk snaps the yarn strands around the side arm I4I of the frame 56 sufficiently tightly to hold them as winding starts.

One yarn cone I46 is sketched behind the machine in Fig. 1. Upon completion of the winding, the operator severs the strands of yarn and removes the frame 50. Upon removal, side arms I4! and I42 tend to draw together, but they are not drawn appreciably out of alignment. The frame is now removed to a sewing machine table suggested .by I47 in Fig. 6, where it is treated in one of two fashions. As shown in Fig. 6, a twoinch strip of canvas I48 is laid over the yarn about two inches from the outer edge of the frame and at right angles to the yarn. A second strip of canvas I49 is fastened at the opposite side. The stitching operation is done successively .by one multiple needle, stiching machine I50, or simultaneously by two oppositely disposed multiple needle stitching machines. The frame 50 is then removed to a slitting table II and the yarn is slit down the center by any appropriate means as seen in Fig. 12. The finished mop swats I52 and I53 are then slipped off the side arms MI and 142 of the frame 50 and delivered to rivturned inside, riveted to the peripheral edge of the mop head in the conventional manner.

By this method of winding and cutting, two

mop swats are produced on a single frame with several distinct savings in assembly costs. Firstly, the winding machine winds twice as much yarn per loading as under existing practice. The manufacturers may take advantage of this reduction of the frequency of loading in one of two ways: If the winding machine is already turning at maximum speed for the strength of the particular yarn being used, an operator may be required to attend an increased number of machines; or if the yarn strength permits, the machines may be accelerated to effect increased production.

Secondly, the girl at the sewing machine sews two canvas tapesto each frame and while this operation is performed by a single three-needle sewing machine at the present time, a double sewing machine is being built to perform the stitching operation on both swats simultaneously. Whichever method is employed, the sewing operator completes the stitching on two mops before laying down a frame, which constitutes a definite saving of time over the existing practice of handling two frames.

Thirdly, a saving of time is obtained in the cut- I ting operation where a single cutting down the center of the swat produces two complete swats. Also, an expensive cutting machine is eliminated. Under present practice, the mop swat frames contain grooves in their outer edges and the cutting machine carries two oppositely disposed knives adapted to slide in said grooves and cut the yarn as it advances. This machine is costly to build, and at best turns out only one mop swat from each frame. Contrast this cutting process to the simple method of cutting used in connection with the mop swat frame of this invention. Our cutter is not specially built, but of a conventional single rotary blade type, power driven, and available in the market.

Before describing the second method of applying the binding means to the yarn, a mop produced under the above method will be described. In Fig. 13, I is a conventional mop head with handle socket I6I and handle I62. A mop swat I52 is folded down the line I53, see Fig. 6, and commencing at the rear joint I64 of the mop head I60, the mop swat I52 with loop end I54 adjacent to the mop head, is riveted to the flange I65 of the mop head I 60. The loop end I54 has a tendency to pack beneath the mop head I 60 thereby producing a very desirable soft cushion.

On the other hand, the open end edges I 66' of mop head I60 are on the outer side and give a length and appearance which greatly facilitates the sale of the mop.

The positioning of strips I03 and I49 in respect to the side arms MI and I42 of the frame 50 may be varied to produce a looped end of greater or lesser length.

When it is desired to produce the conventional mop having all open-end tufts, the process suggested by the stitching of canvas strips I10 and II0a in Fig. 11 is followed. Strip I70 is looped under the edges of the yarn at one end of the side arm HI and is stitched at III, with the finishing end II2, looped under the edges of the arm after the cutting operation. Under this process, the slitting operation and the position of the slitter on the table is identical with those employed under the first process.

It should be noticed that if the same size frame were used under the second process as under the first, the tufts under the second process would be much longer than under the first. Some expensive mops warrant such long tufts, but in general the mop market calls for a mop having outer tufts of a standard length and mop swats made under either process should have outer tufts of that length. To reduce the length of the tufts when the second process is employed, a narrow frame is used, which in fact is a frame adapted to engage posts 5| and 55 in channel bar 46 as contrasted with frame 50 which engages posts 54 and 58.

As for spindle assembly 60, the rapid passage of yarn through the tension controls flicks wisps of yarn into the air about the machine and these collect in the moving joints. Under normal operation, the spindle 10 turns solely on ball bearing unit H. This ball bearing unit II is a fairly tightly sealed unit itself and does not readily become jammed with yarn, but when there is a jamming, this spindle assembly provides no less than three auxiliary bearing surfaces for rotation, namely, 64, 65 and 12. The chances of stripping gears in the machine are greatly reduced by the structure.

We have shown the preferred embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood there are many equivalents, and these equivalents are not to detract from the basic conceptions of this invention.

We claim:

1. In making mop swats, the process of winding yarn over opposite arms of a frame, binding the yarn along the inside edges of said arms, slitthe frame, and removing the resulting mop swats from the frame.

2. In making mop swats, the process of winding yarn over opposite arms of a frame, binding the yarn along the inside edges of said arms, slitting the yarn along a line equi-distant between the arms of the frame, and removing the resulting mop swats from the frame.

3. In making mop swats, the process comprising winding yarn over opposite arms of a rectangular frame, binding the yarn along the inner edges of said arms, slitting the yarn between the arms of the frame and removing the resulting mop swats from the frame.

4. In making mop swats, the process comprising winding yarn over opposite arms of a rectangular frame, wrapping a strip of binding material over each arm in engagement with the yarn, stitching the binding material to the yarn on the inner side of said arms, slitting the yarn midway between said arms, and removing completed mop swats from the frame.

5. In making mop swats, the process of winding yarn on a frame, stitching a tape of textile binding material to the yarn inside each side of the mop frame, slitting the yarn midway between the sides of the frame, and removing completed mop swats from the frame.

6. In making mop swats, the process of winding yarn on the outwardly extending arms of an open-end or U-shaped frame, attaching to the yarn at a distance inwardly from said outwardly extending arms determined by the length of closed loop strands desired a tape of textile material, slitting the yarn midway between the sides of the frame, and removing the resulting mop swats from the open end of the frame.

GUSTAV A. ALTENBERN. WILFRED S. STONE. 

